Q. Respiratory Illness in a Baby Squirrel

Posted by Mia Carter Oct 5, 2008

On October 3, 2008, I received the following question from a reader of Care for an Orphaned Baby Squirrel: "My family and I have raised squirrels for a while. Several weeks ago we obtained another squirrel about 6 weeks in age. It had fallen from a tree and was dehydrated and weak. The little girl got better and boy is she a spaz! She is definitely not ill now. And I'd say she is about 9 1/2 to 10 weeks old now. I am concerned though. From day 1 she was making sniffling/sneezing sounds and even now continues with them. We thought she had pnemonia, but it looks like she may have a possible respiratory disease? She banged her head in the fall and has a wound on her head. It's healed, but scarred. When we found her she had blood around her nose. I saw an article on the web that said it could be an injury to their teeth. I flipped her over and looked and as far as I see they look normal. Both bottom ones are straight up and together and she has 2 little ones visible at top. They too appear normal. Though, I don't have anything to compare them with. Any idea what is happening to our little Camo?"

Signs of a Respiratory Infection in Squirrels

It is possible that this little girl squirrel is suffering from a chronic upper respiratory illness, which is slightly different from pneumonia, which affects different structures in the lower portion of the respiratory tract.

The discharge is a common symptom of an upper respiratory infection (URI), along with sneezing and coughing. If the blood at the nose is slight, it's possible the constant discharge has had a drying and irritating effect on her nasal passages, essentially leaving them cracked and sensitive and prone to minor bleeding (which will appear more serious than it is sometimes, when the blood is mixed with the other discharge).

Treating a Respiratory Infection in Squirrels

It's likely that her immune system is fairly robust and it's been keeping the illness in check at a low-level, but it's not something we want to ignore just because it's not acute. This is a situation where I would bring her to the vet for an examination. I would be willing to bet that they will want to prescribe an antibiotic to help her combat the respiratory illness that she's been fighting.

This is a case where I would recommend acting as soon as possible, because even though she's been stable, she could go downhill at any time and it could be quickly fatal. So that's something I would definitely get addressed with a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Tooth Problems in Squirrels

Squirrels, like all other rodents, have teeth that grow continuously - about six inches per year. Injury to the mouth and cheeks can occur when the teeth overgrow, but this is not common in young squirrels. But a problem with a tooth that's not descending properly or a tooth that's abscessed below the gumline could certainly cause symptoms that closely mimic a respiratory illness. So this is another reason why I would recommend a vet visit as soon as possible.

One article that you may find helpful is an article I wrote concerning respiratory illness in rats. Their physiology is fairly similar and many of the home treatment techniques for a sick squirrel (i.e. providing lots of food, fluids, a humidifier, shower steam, etc) are essentially the same.

I encourage squirrel caretakers to visit my ever-growing Baby Squirrel Care Page for more information on caring for orphaned baby squirrels.

Have a pet question? Or a suggestion for a pet care article? Send your questions and suggestions to Mia.Carter@Suite101.com

Disclaimer: I have extensive experience in caring for animals, including sick and special needs animals, but I am not a veterinarian. I can provide information and advice based on research and my many years of experience with pet care and training, but it's not a substitute for seeking medical attention from a veterinarian.